For the final ten years, I’ve been in a position to journey the world and receives a commission.
Positive, the pandemic has put a dent on my journey plans for the final 12 months or so, and I’m not the one one.
However with most international locations now open for vacationers and even Australia wanting more likely to open its borders within the new 12 months, I assumed now can be a great time to share with anybody occupied with doing the identical, precisely how I did it.
I’ve no real interest in holding this info to myself. In reality, I’ll even present you the precise emails I ship to resorts and tourism boards after I need to keep free of charge.
As somebody who grew up in a small city and had excessive hopes for travelling the world solo, I’m not solely excited to share with you the way I made journey my full-time job, however really feel a way of responsibility to make this type of factor extra accessible.
So with that, right here goes nothing!
I began in 2012
I began my weblog, World of Wanderlust, in 2012.
The web was completely different again then and social media was nonetheless in its early days.
Instagram had been round for 2 years, however solely actually turned common in April 2012. It was round this time just a few trend bloggers dominated Instagram. Celebrities had barely began utilizing the app, with a lot of them not creating accounts till the next 12 months and past.
This was a time earlier than influencers, as they’re now recognized.
There have been a handful of trend bloggers constructing audiences on the app. These included the likes of Tuula Classic, Gary Pepper Woman and The Blonde Salad, to call just a few that come to thoughts. These trend bloggers have been jetting round Europe staying in swanky resorts and attending trend exhibits, all over the place from Milan to Paris. They have been snapping their outfits candidly on the streets by day, attending totally hosted Dior dinners by the night.
However I cherished following these accounts for a distinct purpose. As somebody who grew up in a small city in Tasmania, on the backside of Australia, the glitz and glamour of the style world was past me.
I noticed a chance.
I adopted these trend bloggers journey throughout Europe for trend weeks and summer season holidays, however was extra within the background than the garments they have been sporting.
So I made a decision I’d begin my very own Instagram account, specializing in the locations relatively than Dior.
World of Wanderlust was born
Whereas I began my weblog in December 2012, it didn’t turn into an instantaneous success. Nothing ever does. However the reality is, it most likely took loads much less time than you’d think about.
For the subsequent 12 months, I traveled on and off between finishing my final 12 months at college. I went from being a full time enrolled pupil to changing into a distance training pupil, so I might journey all through the semester. I launched into a handful of journeys that 12 months – to Vietnam, Bali and Europe.
I paid for my flights to every of those locations, however my lodging was sponsored. Sure! In my first 12 months as a blogger, I already had lodge sponsorships for all of my adventures.
I’m certain you’re questioning, how? Why? Why would anybody need to sponsor a bit of recognized blogger (in truth, I’m pretty sure it was simply my family and friends studying my weblog presently).
Three phrases: return on funding.
Every of the resorts that hosted me in my first 12 months as an newbie author and photographer noticed an ROI (return on funding). As a substitute of asking for one thing from them, I instructed them what I might do for them.
I listed my experience in writing and pictures, my experiences touring, and what I would supply for them in return for a free evening at their lodge. I’d be particular. I’d define the variety of photographs I’d take, the size of the weblog publish, and the moment publicity they’d acquire by that includes on my Instagram and Fb pages.
They usually mentioned sure.
Positive, plenty of resorts and advertising and marketing executives mentioned no. In reality, I’d say only one in 4 resorts even bothered to return my emails. However the ones who did have been encouraging and no less than half of them mentioned sure. It was all I wanted to get my foot within the door.
The early days of journey running a blog and influencers
Rather a lot has modified since then. Journey running a blog and influencing has turn into a full fledged profession.
Again then, it was completely different.
What I used to be doing was thought-about extraordinarily completely different – an actual change to the established order. There have been a handful of journey bloggers already getting paid to journey, but it surely regarded loads completely different again then. Journey blogs have been extra targeted on prolonged weblog posts, which have been phrase heavy with just a few photographs dispersed all through the textual content for reference.
So, what did I do otherwise?
I mixed the style bloggers’ strategy to Instagram (stunning photographs) with a standard journey weblog (characteristic articles) to create an aesthetically pleasing nook of the web that may encourage journey of your individual.
Then I offered this concept to corporations – the likes of Apple, GoPro, Samsonite, 4 Seasons resorts, Mandarin Oriental Motels, to call just a few.
What did I promote them? A direct hyperlink to my viewers. Somewhat than throwing promoting {dollars} at {a magazine} characteristic, they have been throwing promoting {dollars} at me. This saved me touring longer, which saved me within the recreation of making content material.
It was a triple win state of affairs.
I bought to journey the world full time. My readers bought to reside vicariously by means of my adventures to plan their very own. Manufacturers bought quick entry to an engaged viewers.
So the key?
Present corporations you might be their means to an finish. Present them what they’ll get from you, relatively than the opposite approach round. Use information and a fastidiously crafted media equipment to indicate a return on funding. And don’t be afraid to place your individual pores and skin within the recreation to get began.
If you wish to be a part of my full course on changing into a journey blogger, enroll right here.
If you wish to buy my e-mail templates to strategy resorts, tourism boards and types, you may see them right here.
